Just when you feel as though you are getting to know a place, when you start to feel at home in a strange environment, something grabs you and forces the question “Where the hell am I?” These are just a few observations from the past few weeks that served as little personal culture clashes while spending the summer in Hong Kong.
A day at the beach
I was feeling relaxed and was perfectly positioned for an afternoon of sunning when a loud announcement filled my ears – first in Cantonese and then in British English. “No spitting on the beach. Make sure to properly warm-up before swimming and if you are full or hungry make sure to not go swimming.” Serious.
A rainy day
A day in HK is always somewhat cloudy but this morning was something unlike I have ever experienced. I had a feeling that it might rain a little, so I wore my rain jacket and brought along an umbrella. There are men that stand inside buildings and hand you a plastic bag to put your soaking umbrella into – genius, really. I felt as though I was on a ship out at sea and massive swells were pouring over the front of the boat. And there are constant announcements on loud speakers reminding everyone that it may be slippery and to watch your step. They like loudspeakers.
Seat belt checkpoints in HK
They have an official standing in the middle of the street serving as a human roadblock. The uniformed man peers into the window of every car to see if people are wearing their seatbelts.